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"I would like to coach an Italian team, it has always been my dream," Maradona told Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I'm not a friend of football's businessmen. When Rafa Benitez will leave Napoli, I would like to coach them.

"Everywhere coaches are changing, from Spain to Italy, from England to Russia, but there are people who are afraid of me. That's why I'm not coaching."

The World Cup winner also had words of praise for controversial AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, calling for the striker to be left in peace to get on with his job.

"Everyone should be allowed to live their life as they want, Balotelli should be left alone," said Maradona.

"If I could have him, I'd take him into a room for a few minutes and I'd tell him about all the things I did on the field and off it.